1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to relieving and eliminating water problems associated with the exterior and interior of an enclosure's foundation and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for drying an existing or newly installed structural waterproofing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The foundations of buildings often experience water problems due to a variety of causes. When such foundations are constructed, the surrounding soil must be removed prior to construction and then replaced after the foundation is completed. As a result, foundations can become damaged as soil settles outside of the foundation. Furthermore, a negative grade sloping toward the foundation is also often formed due to such settling. With the negative grade, the force of gravity causes water to move toward the foundation cracking the foundation and eventually entering into the building. This is especially true of basements and crawl spaces. When water enters a dwelling, many problems arise, both to the physical structure of the dwelling and to the air.
It is known in the art to install structural waterproofing systems to drain water from basements and crawl spaces. Typical waterproofing systems include some method of draining the water from inside the building to the outside. U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,034 discloses a basement draining channel that extends around the periphery of a basement floor, next to the wall, for draining away collected water. The channel includes a plurality of drain entrance holes leading to drain tubes. When water enters the basement walls, it is collected in the channel and directed toward the entrance holes due to gravity. The water is channeled via gravity to a drain connector pipe to a sump pump. To prevent radon from entering into the basement of the dwelling the draining channel is sealed. A venting pipe extends upwardly from the top of the baseboard for venting radon gas outside of the dwelling.
The problem with such existing gravity-based waterproofing systems, however, is that the system must absorb a certain amount of water before the water will flow, and ultimately drain from the structure. If there is too little water to cause flow, the water remains stagnant and evaporates back into the interior of the basement causing mildew, mold, and general dampness. Also when a sufficient amount of water is present to create a flow, a residual amount of water is left in the conduit when the flow stops. Additionally, any water drained directly beneath the floor of the basement may evaporate back into the waterproofing system and eventually back into the basement.
Dampness and associated mold from such evaporation causes damage to buildings, ruins possessions, produces foul odors, and even presents potential health problems. When excessive moisture or water accumulates indoors, growing molds produce allergens, irritants, and potentially toxic substances. Although mold growth can be treated, it cannot be eliminated as long as a moisture problem exists. Thus, there is a need in the art for a drying system for a waterproofing system that removes moisture from the waterproofing system.
Another problem associated with basements and crawl spaces is the effect of radon. Radon is a colorless, radioactive gas that can be extremely toxic. The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Cancer Institute presently estimate that about 15,000 lung cancer deaths are caused by radon each year in the United States alone. Radon gas may be in the soil surrounding the structure and can seep into the interior of basements and crawl spaces through cracks in the foundation and even through the structural waterproofing system itself.
It is generally known in the art to vent radon from a structural water proofing system. Representative patents of waterproofing systems include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,798,034 and 5,474,400 describing devices and methods for venting radon from waterproofing systems that are sealed off from the interior of the building. A gas venting pipe is connected to each system for suctioning radon gas with a fan and venting it to the outside. Because these systems are sealed, however, they do not address the problem of removing fluids and associated moisture from the inside of a structure, such as a basement or crawl space. Furthermore, neither discuss removing water vapor from the waterproofing system.
Other techniques have been proposed for eliminating radon from interior waterproofing systems. One such technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,003 incorporating a radon blockage means, such as a water-filled trap or a one-way valve, into an interior waterproofing system to prevent radon from entering a home. Any radon gas below the blockage means is evacuated from the waterproofing system through a chimney or the use of a vacuum-type fan. Although such a technique may prevent radon from entering a structure, it would not be sufficient to simultaneously dry the waterproofing system through the venting of water particles. Moreover, the use of a water-filled trap as the radon blockage means would provide a supply of standing water for evaporation back into the home.
What is needed then is a drying system for structural waterproofing that will remove standing water particles from the waterproofing system, thus, preventing moisture in the system from evaporating back inside the structure while having the secondary effect of removing harmful radon gas.